Pillowcase Tutorial ~ Burrito Style

You know how it is with kids; all of the sudden they change overnight.

Well, a couple of weeks back my grandsons spent the night at our house.

The usual sleeping setup is D-Boy in the Queen-size bed and T-Bone in the Pack-n-Play.  This has been working for most of T-Bone’s two-almost-three years. 

Recently, Kitty and Mr. Wonderful set up T-Bone a big-boy bed with this quilt AND a Big-Boy Pillow.
 

Now, when the boys are here, T-Bone is still in the Pack-n-Play, but now he wants it Big-Boy style ~ complete with his very own Big-Boy Pillow.

Guess what ~ I didn’t have a spare pillow or pillowcase for that boy.  I actually fished a pillow out of a pillow sham and passed it off as special.

What kind of grandma am I!  I should probably be put in the Granny Penalty Box for this one.

So, today I’m making both of the boys pillowcases.

I’m going to use the Burrito Method to assemble them.

Here’s what you need:
 

• Main Fabric:  1 yard.
• Cuff Fabric: 1/3 yard.
• Trim Fabric:  1/4 yard.  Note:  This is totally optional.
• Thread
• Scissors
• Size 90/14 or 100/16 Heavy Duty Needles

 
Step 1:  Find the Grain

Visit my tutorial here on how to find the grain.  It is important for your fabric to be squarely on the grain or you will have a twisted pillowcase.   Ask me how I know this. 

Step 2:  Cut Out Fabric Pieces

From Main Fabric, cut 1 piece that is 27” x 40”

From Coordinating Fabric, cut 1 piece that is 9” X 40”

From Trim Fabric, cut 1 piece that is 2” X 40”
 

Step 3: Understanding the Process

It is important to understand what each piece is called.

The Main Fabric is the Pillowcase Body.

The Coordinating Fabric is the Cuff and will wrap around the Pillowcase Body.  Kind of like a burrito.

The Trim will be in between the Pillowcase Body and the Cuff.
 

Step 4: Assembling the Pieces

Lay the Cuff out flat with the right side facing up. 

Fun Idea:  Embroider or applique a name on the cuff before assembling the pillowcase.
 

With wrong sides together, fold the trim piece in half lengthwise and press.
 

Match the raw edges of the Trim along the top edge of the Cuff and pin to hold.
 

Place the Pillowcase Body on top of the Cuff/Trim with right sides together and pin.

Step 5: Why It’s Called a Burrito

Starting at the bottom of the Pillowcase Body, begin rolling the fabric towards the top edge. 

Continue to roll up the Pillowcase Body until it is a few inches from the top edge.

Take the bottom edge of the Cuff fabric and wrap it over the rolled up Pillowcase Fabric.

See how the Cuff wraps over the Pillowcase Body, like a burrito.

Pin through all layers of fabric.

 

Using a 3/8” seam allowance, sew along the raw edge.

Fold back the Cuff and carefully pull out the Pillowcase Body.

Press the Cuff and Trim on both sides.

Step 6:  Side and Bottom Seams

The next step uses a French seam.  If you’ve never sewn a French seam before, you can review the process here.

Fold Pillowcase in half wrong sides together, matching up the Cuff and Trim fabrics on the seam line.

Pin around the raw edges on the side and bottom of the Pillowcase.

 

Stitch together down the side and across the bottom using a 1/4” seam allowance.

Be sure that the Cuff/Trim seam is even.  I actually sewed this first, then went back and did the rest.

Clip the corner where the side and bottom seam meet.  This will help with the bulk when you turn the pillowcase.

Turn the Pillowcase wrong side out and press the seams down.  Using something like a knitting needle or chopstick, push out the corners.

Now, the Pillowcase is facing right sides together.  Pin the side and bottom seams. 

Stitch the side and bottom seams using a 1/2” seam allowance.

Step 7:  Finishing the Pillowcase

Turn the Pillowcase right side out and press the seams flat.

You now have enclosed French seams and the Pillowcase has no loose threads on the inside.

Best of all, each grandson will have his own pillow.

And, I am out of the Granny Penalty Box.

HOW TO MAKE FELTED WOOL DRYER BALLS

Want to save money, time, AND the planet?

There is an easy way to do this.  Make a set of Felted Wool Dryer Balls. 

Once you do, you will never have to buy over-scented dryer sheets or bulky bottles of fabric softener again.

Dryer balls will also reduce static cling and cut your clothes drying time significantly {25-50%}.

These nifty little felted wool dryer balls will do all of these things while happily bouncing around in your dryer.

Things You Will Need:

• 100% Wool Yarn (mine had 223 yds.)
• Panty Hose
• Dental Floss 
• Crochet Needle with blunt tip
• Lavender Oil (optional)

Begin by wrapped several strands of yarn around your fingers 10-20 times.

Pull the yarn off your fingers and pinch together in the center. 

Tightly wrap yarn around the middle.

Start wrapping until the yarn takes on the shape of a ball.

Continue wrapping the yarn around the small wool ball. 

Optional:  When it reaches about half the size of a tennis ball, sprinkle a 2-4 drops of lavender oil on the wool.

Keep wrapping until your wool ball is about the size of a tennis ball.

Cut a short yarn tail and thread it through a crochet needle.

Push the blunt end of the needle into the center of the wool ball and pull through.  Clip the yarn tail.

 
Repeat the above steps until you have 4-6 yarn balls.

My skein of yarn was 223 yards and it made 4 dryer balls.

 

Now, you are ready to begin the felting process.

Push the first wool ball down into the toe of the panty hose leg.  Tie a square knot using a piece of dental floss.

Note:  Do not use any of your left over wool yarn or it will felt during the washing process.

To felt your wool balls, wash on your machine’s hottest setting.  If you have a front loader, add in some towels to help muffle the noise of the balls flinging around.

Once the wash cycle is complete, dry on the hottest dryer setting.

 Notice the difference in size before and after.  The felting process took place in the washer.  The dryer balls did not continue to shrink after drying.

 

This set should last at least a year. Simple and economical ~ always a winner with me.

HANDMADE CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS ~ 1

Remember the good ol’ days when everyone started Christmas shopping after Thanksgiving.

Well, last week I heard that the day after Halloween now signals the Christmas season.
Oops, I better get right on that.

To help you with your holiday gift giving, every week I am going to try to give you some ideas for handmade gifts.

I may even toss in a tutorial or two.  

Everything will be simple and lovely, I promise.

FYI: When I posted this, a lot of you asked about my bird pin cushion.  So, I’m starting off with ~

Lovely #1 ~ The Bird Pin Cushion
From:  Joel Dewberry and the DIY Dish
 

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Lovely #2 ~ Chevron Hobo Bag
From:  You Can Do That Dot Me

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Lovely #3 ~ Etched Wine Glasses
From:  One Project Closer

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Lovely #4 ~ Homemade Vanilla
From:  Tidy Mom

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 No time for handmade, check out these Etsy lovelies:

Lovely #5 ~ Wool Felt Coasters

From:  Felt Planet

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Lovely #6 ~ Coastal Cottage Tea Towel

From:  Jessica Hogarth

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Lovely #7 ~ Decorative Soaps

From:  Soap Rhapsody

More inspiration to come ~